The threat of extreme right wing partys?

[DanielASRP]

Just recently there has been a push with nationalist groups within Australia, and to be quite honest its almost scary. They are selling there policies with "being censored", "political correctness gone too far" and other radical messages "local students first", "save water, cut immigration" and so on and so forth...

My question is, what can be done to stop or slow down movements like these? the problem is they are so appealing to the public because its seen as a movement to protect my "Australian" values and way of life...

[MarxSchmarx]

Just recently there has been a push with nationalist groups within Australia, and to be quite honest its almost scary. They are selling there policies with "being censored", "political correctness gone too far" and other radical messages "local students first", "save water, cut immigration" and so on and so forth...

My question is, what can be done to stop or slow down movements like these? the problem is they are so appealing to the public because its seen as a movement to protect my "Australian" values and way of life...

Well for starters coming up with memorable slogans helps, because (as you're finding out) those are the mantras people repeat. There are a lot of dos and donts lists. Do be concrete, monosyllabilic, evoke basic values; also they should be really catchy like "Ya basta", "Another world is possible". Try to mend those into your local situation - I don't know, something like "a koala in every pot" or maybe even more locaal to your city or town. Just cogitate on it, send it to comrades, spend a few weeks, test it out among nonpolitical folk,

[BellaCiao]

Personally I have found these tactics useful in my own personal experience in talking with nationalists;

- reminding them that they too are of immigrant stock. this is particularly effective, for example, when debating with irish community in UK who themselves have been victims of harsh discrimination in the past.

- acknowledge the declining standards of living for 'white working classes'. of course talking of racial distinctions within class is wrong but undoubtedly in postindustrial UK, and possibly Aus, there is a massive disenfranchised white population that suffers from lack of decent public housing and employment etc. acknowledging this powerlessness is important.

- discuss the roots causes of these problems. namely, privatisation and capitalism whose leaders are intent on applying 'divide and rule' tactics to uphold their profiteering. the scapegoating of immigrants only erodes unity and working people's strengths.

- discuss the need for change not along racial lines as it only benefits the wealthy and hinders progress but for true change which allows all working people to unite and smash the status quo.

- certainly modigy language to suit who you are having a discussion with. limit jargon and as posted above phrases can resonate with people.

I admit there is an element of 'us vs them' from my post which might sound a bit patronising but i only mean to write short bullet points which i have found personally useful through my experience of working with refugees and living in a postindustrial urban setting.